An electrical connector typically includes a pair of connector housing halves constructed from a dielectric material. The housing halves are usually identified as a plug half (or male half) and a socket half (or female half), with the two halves having complementary inter-engaging terminals for completing an electrical circuit when the housing halves are fully and properly mated. Electrical connectors normally require a secure mechanical and electrical engagement between the connector halves. Some prior art connector housings are relatively easy to separate or unmate, thereby disconnecting the electrical circuit. Obviously, inadvertent separation of a connector may cause malfunction of the equipment, and associated inconvenience, safety concerns, or the like.
To prevent unintentional separation of connector halves, a latching means is often included with the connector housing for holding the male and female connector halves in the engaged position. The latching means may also include a locking means to retain the connector in the latched position and to provide assurance to a person assembling the connector that the connector has been properly assembled, latched, and locked, and that the electrical connection is therefore complete. Such locking and indicating mechanisms are known in the art as connector position assurance ("CPA") devices. The CPA device may be separate from the latching mechanism, or may be integrated as part of the latch. Typically, the primary function of a CPA device is to indicate that the connector halves are fully mated and latched. A secondary function is often to prevent the latching mechanisms from inadvertently unlatching, thereby permitting the connector halves to separate.
Latching and CPA mechanisms have been accomplished in a wide variety of ways in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,759,058, assigned to the same assignee as in the present application, discloses an electrical connector having two connector halves, with a latching mechanism and a CPA device. The latching mechanism includes a flexible arm on a first connector half and a shoulder on a second connector half. As the connector halves are assembled, the flexible arm engages with the shoulder for latching the connector halves together. Following latching of the connector halves, a CPA device may then be slid forward and snapped into a forward position. In this position, the CPA device prevents the flexible latching arm from disengaging from the shoulder, and the connector halves may not be unlatched. Further, if the connector halves are not properly mated, the CPA device is not able to slide into its proper forward position, thereby giving an indication of improper assembly of the connector halves.
While the foregoing latch and CPA mechanisms function effectively for the intended applications, the components can be relatively bulky. The components are typically molded from plastic, and, thus, must be sufficiently thick to perform their intended function without cracking or breaking. Further, the latching mechanism is typically molded integrally with the connector housing, thereby complicating the molding process for the housing. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a connector latching and CPA mechanism whose functional components are not molded integrally with the connector housing. It is further desirable to provide a CPA and latching mechanism whose functional components enable a lower profile and more compact construction than those of the prior art, without sacrificing strength and functionality. The latching mechanism and CPA device of the present invention provide these and other benefits, and overcome the shortcomings associated with the prior art.